UBC LIFE SCIENCES CENTRE

Health and Safety Program Revised June, 2007

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFO

YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM MANUAL

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF UNIT

SAFETY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR (SPA)

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM ELEMENTS

1. HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

2. MANAGEMENT MEETINGS

3. LOCAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

4. ORIENTATIONS, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION

5. SAFE WORK RULES AND PROCEDURES

6. HAZARD ASSESSMENTS AND WORKSITE INSPECTIONS

7. ACCIDENT/INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

8. FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

9. RETURN TO WORK PROGRAM

10. PERSONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY

11. RECORDS, DOCUMENTATION AND STATISTICS

12. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

13. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

14. CONTRACTOR HEALTH AND SAFETY

15. PROGRAM REVIEW

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS:

3-1Safety Committee Meeting Minutes (sample template)

4-1Personnel Orientation and Training Record (sample template)

6-1Task Hazard Analysis Form

6-2General Work Areas Inspection Checklist (sample template)

6-3Laboratory Inspection Checklist (sample template)

7-1UBC Faculty and Staff Incident/Accident Report

7-2UBC Student and Visitor Incident/Accident Report

15-1Health and Safety Program Review Document

ADDITIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY INFORMATION AND RESOURCES:

Go to:

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

FIRE POLICE AMBULANCE

9-1-1

Mobile First Aid (Point Grey Campus) (604) 822 - 4444

Local First Aid Attendants:

For information and a list of LSC First Aid Stations and Attendants go to:

LSC Main Floor: a First Aid Attendant may be summoned by going to the

LSI Administration / Administration desk.

Hazardous Materials Response...... 911

Poison Control...... (604) 682-5050

Patrol (UBC campus) ...... (604) 822-2222

Other:

LSC Safety & Environmental Advisor…………..… (604) 827- 4127

Bio-Safety Advisor...... (604) 822-7596

Campus Security (non-emergency)...... (604) 822-8609

Chemical Health and Safety Advisor...... (604) 822-5909

Disaster Preparedness Resources Centre...... (604) 822-6002

Emergency Planning Coordinator………………… (604) 822-1237

Environmental Services Facility...... (604) 822-6306

Health, Safety and Environment...... (604) 822-2029

Occupational Hygiene Advisor...... (604) 822-2643

Plant Operations (UBC Site Trouble Calls).....(604) 822-2173

Radiation Safety Advisor...... (604) 822-7052

R.C.M.P. (UBC campus) ...... (604) 224-1322

Student Health Services (UBC campus)...... (604) 822-7011

Vancouver Fire Unit (non-emergency)...... (604) 665-6010

VancouverHospital (UBC) Emergency Dept....(604) 822-7222

YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM MANUAL

LSC REQUIREMENTS

  1. Each administrative Unit / area shall have access to a copy of the general LSC Health and Safety Program Manual that specifies all the elements of its local Health and Safety Program.
  1. The LSC safety rules and safe work procedures shall be itemised in the document or in a separate document.
  1. The manual must be available to all LSC personnel, ensuring that they are aware of their responsibilities and safe work procedures.
  1. Fire plans and evacuation routes that are specific to the area(s) are to be included in the document or in a separate document.
  1. The manual should be reviewed and updated annually.
  1. The LSC Health and Safety Manual can be found on-line at:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND REFERENCES

If there are any questions regarding the LSC Health and Safety Program manual, please contact the LSC Safety and Environment Advisor at (604) 827-4127.

HEALTH AND SAFETY MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

To be posted

LSC SAFETY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR (SPA)

Unit Heads have the primary responsibility for the safe and compliant operation of their area. This management function may be delegated, by the Head, to a Unit member or M&P staff member who will act as the area’s Safety Program Administrator (SPA

LSC REQUIREMENTS

1. At the LSC, the Safety & Environmental Advisor is to act as the Safety Program Administrator.

2. The Roles and Responsibilities of the SPA are to:

  1. Act with the authority of the Head in the day-to-day Health and Safety management of the Unit and act as the Unit’s liaison with the HSE Unit.
  2. Develop, maintain and oversee the distribution of the Unit’s Health and Safety Program Manual with the assistance of HSE staff.
  3. Ensure that safe work procedures are developed and enforced.
  4. Develop the health and safety inspection protocol for the Unit.
  5. Define the inspection areas, prepare the inspection checklists and develop reporting procedures.
  6. Review all accident investigation reports and take preventative measures to prevent reoccurrence.
  7. Facilitate the formation of the local Health and Safety Committee by assigning management staff and facilitating the selection of worker representatives.
  8. Support the activities of the committee, monitor their effectiveness and respond to committee recommendations on behalf of the Head.
  9. Monitor the overall Health and Safety Program performance, including inspection frequency, quality and corrective actions.
  10. Meet regularly with the Head to report activities and the status of the program.

The LSC Safety & Environmental Advisor and SPA is:

Pierre Tanguay

(604) 7827-4127

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Heads of Units:

  • Assign responsibility for the development, implementation and maintenance of all elements of the Unit’s Health and Safety Program that includes an effective functioning local Health and Safety Committee.
  • Act as or appoint a Safety Program Administrator (SPA) for the unit.
  • Select management representatives for the Committee, as per established Terms of Reference and assign authority to management representatives.
  • Provide the Health and Safety Committee with the tools and resources to function effectively.
  • Ensure that accident and incident investigations are conducted and review the reports.
  • Ensure that supervisors and managers are trained and know their responsibilities for preventing or minimizing safety and security risks.
  • Monitor the Health and Safety Program for compliance with WorkSafeBC and internal requirements.
  • Communicate health and safety action plans, concerns and decisions to respective organizations.
  • Review health and safety-related records and statistics at management meetings.
  • Ensure that Health and Safety Program reviews are conducted as required.

Safety Program Administrators (SPA):

  • Ensure the development, implementation and maintenance of all elements of the Health and Safety Program, including an effectively functioning local Health and Safety Committee.
  • Monitor the Health and Safety Program for compliance with WorkSafeBC and internal requirements.
  • Attend and participate in all required safety committee and management meetings.
  • Review and provide senior management with safety committee meeting minutes and recommendations.
  • Provide supervisors with the tools and resources to ensure the success of all elements of this program.
  • Communicate safety action plans and recommendations to management and staff.
  • Ensure accidents and incidents are investigated and reported. Review these reports.
  • Ensure corrective action plans are implemented.
  • Develop and monitor procedures for responding to and reporting personal security incidents (workplace violence program) following WorkSafeBC guidelines.
  • Ensure that Health and Safety Program Reviews are conducted as required.

Supervisors(Faculty, Managers, Principle Investigators, Technicians, Supervisors, etc.):

  • Implement and monitor the Unit’s Health and Safety Program in accordance with WorkSafeBC requirements and UBC’s Safety Program Policy.
  • Instruct, train and monitor employees in safe work practices and workplace violence procedures.
  • Develop and implement safe work procedures.
  • Communicate health and safety-related information to employees and help implement corrective actions and recommendations.
  • Recommend safety and health topics for committee meetings.
  • Orient new and transferred employees.
  • Hold regular staff meetings.
  • Develop, implement and maintain hazard assessment and inspection programs.
  • Conduct required regular workplace inspections, special inspections and accident investigations.
  • Correct unsafe conditions or practices and ensure hazards are controlled until corrective action is taken.
  • Complete proper injury/illness forms and forward copies of reports to the appropriate departments.
  • Forward copies of accident/incident investigation reports to the local safety committee and the SPA for review.
  • Develop, implement and maintain the Contractor Safety Program.
  • Review health and safety records and statistics regularly.

Local Health and Safety Committee Members:

  • Hold regular meetings at least once a month for the review of:

- Reports of current accidents, incidents or illnesses/diseases

- Remedial action taken or required by the reports of investigations and inspections

- Other safety and health matters.

  • Review and monitor the effectiveness of the unit’s Health and Safety Program.
  • Make recommendations directly to appropriate supervisor/manager and SPA.
  • Assist management in the health and safety program development.
  • Function within the set Terms of Reference.
  • Post and distribute meeting minutes.
  • Conduct formal workplace inspections.
  • Assist as required in incident and or accident investigations.

Workers and Students:

  • Work in a careful and safe manner.
  • Follow departmental safe work procedures and practices, as well as WorkSafeBC requirements.
  • Report any real or potential safety/health hazards to the supervisor.
  • Actively participate in orientation and training programs, reporting to the supervisors any lack of knowledge needed to perform duties.
  • Conduct informal daily inspections of the work area.
  • Participate, when required, in scheduled workplace inspections and accident investigations.
  • Report all accidents, incidents or near misses to the supervisor.
  • Report any real or potential risks of personal security or public safety to the supervisor.
  • Cooperate with the Safety Committee in the Safety Program Review process.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM ELEMENTS

1. HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

The University of British Columbia’s Safety Policy

The University aims to provide a safe, healthy and secure environment in which to carry on the University's affairs. All possible preventive measures are taken to eliminate accidental injuries, occupational diseases and risks to personal security.

Compliance with the Workers' Compensation Act, WHMIS and related legislation is the minimum standard acceptable. All students and members of faculty and staff are encouraged to strive to exceed these minimum legal standards

The University

It is the responsibility of the University acting through administrative heads of unit to:

  • provide a safe, healthy and secure working environment;
  • ensure regular inspections are made and take action as required to improve unsafe conditions;
  • ensure that health, safety, and personal security considerations form an integral part of the design, construction, purchase and maintenance of all buildings, equipment and work processes;
  • provide first aid facilities where appropriate;
  • support supervisors and safety committees in the implementation of an effective health, safety and security program;
  • ensure compliance with WCB and other applicable legislation;
  • establish department or building safety committees;
  • communicate with the university community or affected groups about events or situations when potentially harmful conditions arise or are discovered;
  • ensure adequate resources are available to implement appropriate procedures.

The Supervisor

It is the responsibility of supervisory staff to:

  • formulate specific safety rules and safe work procedures for their area of supervision;
  • ensure that all employees under their supervision are aware of safety practices and follow safety procedures;
  • provide training in the safe operation of equipment;
  • inspect regularly their areas for hazardous conditions;
  • correct promptly unsafe work practices or hazardous conditions;
  • be responsive to concerns expressed about personal security and investigate any accidents, incidents or personal security concerns which have occurred in their area of responsibility;
  • report any accidents or incidents involving personal security to the appropriate University authority;
  • participate, if requested, on department or building safety committees.

Individual Students and Members of Staff and Faculty

It is the responsibility of individual students and members of faculty and staff to:

  • observe safety rules and procedures established by supervisory staff, administrative heads of unit and the University;
  • be safety-conscious in all activities, be they work, study or recreation;
  • report as soon as possible any accident, injury, unsafe condition, insecure condition or threats to personal security to a supervisor or administrative head of unit;
  • use properly and care for adequately personal protective equipment provided by the University;
  • participate, if elected or appointed, on departmental or building safety committees.

2. MANAGEMENT MEETINGS

LSC Requirements

Units must strive to take all reasonable care in the provision of a safe and healthy workplace. This requires management to be aware of all issues and activities that impact on that requirement. As a result:

  1. All senior management and supervisors are required to participate in regularly scheduled management meetings.

The purposes of these meetings are to ensure that:

  • Two-way communication between management and workers is established
  • Management receives and considers recommendations from the Unit’s Safety Program Administrator (SPA) and Health and Safety Committee
  • Important aspects of the Health and Safety Program such as inspections, accident investigations, and Health and Safety committee activities are monitored and evaluated.

2.The requirements for these meetings include:

1)Designating a person to be responsible for carrying out the Health and Safety portion of the meetings. In most instances, this person can be the SPA.

2)Meeting at least monthly

3)Having a prepared agenda which must include a section on Health and Safety

4)Discussing and making decisions on recommendations from the Health and Safety Program and Health and Safety Committee

5)Assigning responsibilities for required action and communicating management decisions

6)Documenting each meeting to meet due diligence requirements

7)Distributing minutes as required.

The effectiveness of these meetings depends on attendance and participation. It is the responsibility of those key persons and those who attend two levels of meetings to ensure that they communicate all important information and decisions at these meetings. It is this link that will complete the communication chain.

3. LOCAL HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE

LSC Requirements

  1. The LSC must have a functioning system of Local Health and Safety Committee. Units with 9 to 19 employees must have a Worker Health and Safety Representative who has the same role as a Committee.

A local Health and Safety Committee is a joint committee made up of worker and employer representatives working together to identify and resolve health and safety problems in their area. It is an organizational unit that can coordinate health and safety activities and monitor the status of the health and safety program.

The roles of the local Health and Safety Committees are to:

  • Assist in creating a safe and healthy workplace,
  • Recommend actions that will improve the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Program
  • Promote compliance with WorkSafeBC and internal requirements.
  • Recommend changes to senior management.
  • Senior management then, in turn, considers and makes decisions on these recommendations.

Management will provide all necessary resources to ensure that the Local Health and Safety Committee is able to function effectively. These include:

  • Training for committee members
  • Administrative support
  • Adequate time for committee members to carry out responsibilities
  • Open two-way communication channels.
  1. All meeting discussions and decisions are to be recorded, and the minutes distributed to senior management, the SPA and the Unit of Health, Safety and Environment.

Health and Safety Committee Terms of Reference

Local Health and Safety Committees

The Local Safety Committees of the University have been mandated in the University Health and Safety policy to “Carry out the Health and Safety programs within their areas and make recommendations to ensure that the Health and Safety objectives of the University can be achieved.”

Committee Membership

All work areas of the University are to be covered by a local Safety Committee. Questions concerning appropriate areas of jurisdiction and organization of committees should be directed to the Health, Safety and Environment department.

Each committee consists of not fewer than four members who work in the area covered and are familiar with local operations. Committee members are designated as representing either the University (employer) or the Faculty and Staff (workers). As required by WorkSafeBC regulations, employer representatives should not out-number worker representatives on the committee. Employer representatives are appointed by the appropriate Unit Head.

Worker representatives shall be elected or appointed by their peers. Efforts should be made to ensure all major work groups or areas are represented on each committee. Unit members may be appointed as employer representatives.

The members of the committee then elect two co-chairs and a secretary. One co-chair will represent the workers and will be elected by the faculty and staff members while the other co-chair will represent the University and will be elected by the employer representatives. The secretary is elected by all committee members and can be either an employer or worker representative.

Roles of the Local Health and Safety Committee

In order to monitor Health and Safety Programs each committee should:

  1. Participate in regular work site inspections and report any hazardous conditions found;
  2. Review written Health and Safety instructions and make recommendations for their improvement, particularly when new equipment of processes are introduced;
  3. Participate in Incident/Accident Investigations;
  4. Review, and make recommendations concerning all reported accidents or incidents which may have occurred in their unit;
  5. Ensure that accidents have been investigated and reported to the Health, Safety and Environment office;
  6. Staff representatives should accompany WorkSafeBC officers on inspection tours as required by the regulations.
  7. Review and make recommendations concerning inspection reports from WorkSafeBC;
  8. Consider recommendations or suggestions from staff concerning health and safety issues and endorse them where warranted;
  9. Co-ordinate activities with the local Fire Director and cooperate with him or her to promote fire safety;
  10. Include, in all its activities, consideration of conditions or circumstances that may affect the personal security of students, faculty or staff;
  11. Conduct reviews of the health, safety and personal security programs in their units.

Committee Meetings

Meetings are to be held at least once each month, preferably on the same day of each month and should follow an agenda which contains the following topics: